Saint Elizabeth Supports Healthy Beverage Vending Initiative

June 17 2013

Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center announces their participation in a community wide effort to lower the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to help reduce obesity in Lincoln. Although the obesity epidemic has a number of other causes such as too many processed foods, increased portion sizes and too little physical activity, a large contributor is the number of calories in drinks.

The healthy beverage vending initiative calls on businesses and organizations in Lincoln to institute healthy vending policies to help make the healthy choice easier. The approach includes changes in product placement, changing the mix of products included in vending machines and promoting the selection of healthier beverages.

“Even subtle changes in the food environment can make major decreases in the calories consumed,” says Dr. Bob Rauner, director of Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln.

Saint Elizabeth is proud to be one of Lincoln's employers to support the initiative. “At Saint Elizabeth, we believe we need to be involved in moving health care into the future,” says Libby Raetz, vice president of nursing and chief nursing officer of Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center. “As leaders in health care, we are obligated to help create a new era of healthier communities.”